Daily Express Subscriber
Sign in to your account.

FOR Esther Masulah, 56, from Penampang, creativity is more than just a hobby, it is her lifelong passion. 

Since marrying in 1993, she discovered what she fondly calls her “magical hands”, a gift that allows her to transform the ideas in her mind into tangible works of art.

Perhaps her gifted hands had always been there, even during her school days, though she never realised it then. 

It was only after raising her three children that she gradually uncovered her ability to create and do so many things, turning everyday inspiration into meaningful expressions of artistry.

Since it is Christmas, the idea of decorating with ornaments suddenly came to her. Her mind was full of designs, and she felt she had to bring them to life. Only then would she feel truly satisfied.

Her latest project was a fireplace lookalike, decorated for Christmas and displayed in the lobby of her office at the Kuwasa building where she works. 

The project took three days and the help of eight staff. They did the craft after office hours, following her instructions.

“I’m so grateful to have such supportive staff. Most of the materials were recycled items, including large boxes and smaller pieces I repurposed for the design,” she explained.

The fireplace quickly became the talk of the office. Staff from other departments admired how enchanting it looked. 

For Esther, it was not just decoration but a way to celebrate Christmas and bring festive cheer to the workplace.

One of her proudest memories was winning first prize in a team cake-decoration competition held in conjunction with the Head of State’s birthday. 

At the time, she and her teammates never expected to win, as they felt other groups had more elaborate decorations and finer details. 

“We were representing SESB, which was then called LLS. Eventually, we discovered why we won, it was because we followed the rules exactly. 

The requirement was that the cake design had to reflect something about Malaysia. So we chose to make the national flag. 

By day, Esther manages a busy career at Sabah Electricity, where meetings, staff supervision, deadlines, and corporate tasks fill her schedule. 

But behind her professional role, she has always loved making things. That passion has stayed with her for many years, shaping her life as she worked.

Over the years, she has tried many creative activities, baking, sewing, gardening, crafting, and most recently, artwork. Each one reflects her strong desire to bring beauty into everyday life.

“I love making people happy with my work, because beautiful things can make people feel calm and joyful,” she said.

She was thankful for her creativity and the teamwork that made it possible. Colleagues admired the fine details and the care Esther put into every part of the design. 

For her, the joy came not only from the finished product but from the happiness it brought to others.

She admitted that she had created many other eye-catching works in the past but never documented them. She thought everyone had similar skills, so it felt normal to her. 

But her personal friends reminded her that not everyone could design and create so easily, it was her special gift.

Through her work, Esther has shown that dreams are not limited to thoughts. They can be shaped, crafted, and turned into reality. 

Her friends admired not just her artistry but also the passion behind it. Her creations brought smiles and lifted spirits, especially among her colleagues who looked forward to Christmas with happy hearts.

That evening, as the lights shimmered across the decorations, Esther stood back and watched. The satisfaction she felt was in the quiet magic of knowing she had turned her vision into reality.

“In that moment, I felt that my office is not only celebrating Christmas, we are all celebrating beauty, creativity, and the happiness of decorating without using much money,” she shared.

Creativity also runs in her family. Her brother Shamlee is equally talented, and this Christmas he built a large, magnificent star design that now shines proudly in St. Aloysius church in Limbanak, Penampang. 

She added up the materials, time and effort she used, and said the value is much higher than what people usually pay. 

She described her younger brother Shamlee as very creative and full of ideas. But she felt that some people do not appreciate handmade art, thinking it is the same as mass-produced items. 

“It is not.  It is made by hand with passion, patience, and filled with detail, heart, and love,” she said.

Her eldest brother, Edwards, is creative in his own way too. He is skilled at repairing motors and machines, such as grass cutters. 

Esther recalled that many years ago, Edwards and Shamlee bought an old grass cutter that was about to be thrown away as scrap. They purchased it at a low price and decided to try repairing it. 

With curiosity, their passion and effort, they managed to fix the machine, and it is still being used today. 

Esther often wonders how the siblings became so artistic, though she admitted she cannot explain it.

For her, the real joy is not in the mystery of talent but in seeing ideas come to life. Watching each sibling create is, to Esther, a reward in itself and a celebration of patience, passion, and the beauty of handmade work.

She is not sure how far her hobby would take her in life, but she knows that when she retires in a few years, she would be even busier doing the things she loves most.

One thing is certain, she simply loves exploring almost anything.